TWO STUDY ABROAD STUDENTS MEET IN AUSTRALIA

By Tucker Barth, Virginia Tech ‘12

When choosing to study abroad in Australia, I had no idea what to expect or who I would meet, let alone that I would be living with a fellow SigEp brother. Immediately when I arrived at my house in Australia, I was welcomed by the warm sight of a kid wearing a Sigma Phi Epsilon t-shirt, who introduced himself as Pete. Pete Farragher, Michigan State, ‘11 is now a senior accounting major. I am a junior ocean engineering student at Virginia Tech. Last summer, even though we were halfway around the world, the commonality of our brotherhood instantly brought us together and made us feel at home.

Our friendship has not ended in Australia. Over Thanksgiving break, we are meeting up at Penn State, where Pete’s Michigan State team will be playing Penn State in football. This will be the first time we’ve seen each other since Australia, but definitely not the last.

When Pete and I met, we had more in common than just being SigEps. We both had similar reasons for wanting to study in Australia. This included the beaches, beautiful weather, new people, and having an international experience studying at a well-respected university. We both chose the University of New South Wales in Sydney, which was within walking distance from our house in Coogee Beach, an Eastern suburb affectionately known as “Sydney’s Seaside Village.” Our house was about 200 yards from the ocean and directly across the street from a famous cricket oval.

Our first impression of Sydney was that it’s similar to a large American city. Although we did not feel far from home, there were some major differences, such as driving on the left side of the road, Australian accents and slang, and a more laid-back atmosphere. Over time we began to notice some subtle differences that make this country feel unlike home, like addressing professors by their first name, slight differences in the way food tastes (even Coke and pizza), and the upscale attire required for nightlife. Becoming accustomed to these differences was a real learning experience, and we have taken with us the understanding that not all people live the same way as Americans.

When returning to the States, we both experienced some reverse culture shock and were caught off guard by the fast-paced lifestyle we had left six months earlier. One of the best parts of returning home was the ability to hop in a car and drive to our favorite local hang-outs. Pete and I immediately got back in the swing of things. I took summer classes and Pete worked as an intern for BJ’s Wholesale Club. It wasn’t until that first Saturday morning filled with tailgating and that college football atmosphere that we were glad to be back at American universities.

From our experience abroad, we built new friendships and made many memories. Even more importantly, we have grown as individuals, become stronger leaders and developed a greater sense of culture. We have tried to bring these aspects of our experience back to our home chapters. I am running for vice president of programming and Pete holds the title of senior marshal. Now that we are home, it feels like we never left, but our semester abroad was the experience of a lifetime.

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